Rosca Horsemanship

Rosca Horsemanship is a specialist in equine behaviour with a leading focus on whole-horse development through an innovative and dynamic approach to training, coaching and education in modern-day horsemanship.

04/01/2026

Due to bereavement all lessons are cancelled for the next 5 days with immediate effect.

I have contacted each person booked in directly with a generic message, and I will be in touch to reschedule.

Please be aware this is a difficult time and I currently do not have the capacity to respond to work related emails, messages or texts at this time.

Thank you all for your support over recent months, and for your understanding. 🙏

Ross x

The Brand New Episode2025: A YEAR IN RELFECTIONEpisode 18'As the year draws to a close and we stand on the doorstep of a...
02/01/2026

The Brand New Episode

2025: A YEAR IN RELFECTION

Episode 18

'As the year draws to a close and we stand on the doorstep of a New Year, Amy and Ross reflect on what a year 2025 has been, personally and professionally, from the memorable moments and highlights through to the messy parts and testing times, both reflect on the lessons learned and what they wish to take forward to a New Year '

Streaming now on all platforms including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify & More!

Listen here:
https://littlehorsebigconversation.podbean.com

-

Areion Academy
Strong Foundations Hoof Care
Little Horse Big Conversation Podcast

The sun has risen on 2026..Each year, the calendar prompts us to start a new beginning on January 1st.In January we are ...
01/01/2026

The sun has risen on 2026..

Each year, the calendar prompts us to start a new beginning on January 1st.

In January we are in the depth of Winter; from the Winter Solstice in December, the days get slowly longer yet there is little light, little energy and not a time for big changes, plans or renewal; our biological clock is not wired for this at this time.

If we allow our bodies to follow the light and natures cycles,], January is a part of this that signifies rest, to look inwards, and set intentions for the return of Spring and the year ahead.

As there is much talk about the coming of the year of the horse, both from an astrological and numerical standpoint, the period of time we are in is quite significant.

We are currently in a threshold space in the Chinese Zodiac as we transition over the next month from the year of the snake to the year of the horse.

These next six weeks will be about integration as the snake has stripped away old versions of ourselves, relationships and emotions releases allowing for the horse to gain movement, momentum and action with the change of the zodiac come February, when we begin to see the first signs of Spring.

For now, I will be creating, resting and setting intentions of what I want to bring in to this next cycle; where I wish to go and what I have left behind.

So, join me in asking yourself:

What do I want to leave behind?

What do I feel must stay behind?

What patterns no longer serve me, and what could I replace them with?

What do I feel is still integrating, or wish to integrate fully?

What do I wish to take forward into this next cycle?

What direction would you like this next year to take; achievements, personal or professional?

I have decided to do a Facebook Live over on the Rosca Horsemanship Community Spirit Group to talk through two questions every two weeks to answer my own questions.

As we move towards February the 17th, the Year of the Horse and the beginning of Spring, cast aside thoughts of what January should be and allow your body to lean into what Winter is for.

As the sun sets on 2025..I want to take the opportunity to thank each and every person who has been a part of the past 1...
31/12/2025

As the sun sets on 2025..

I want to take the opportunity to thank each and every person who has been a part of the past 12 months; every person I have worked with, professional connections I have made, and of course, each and every horse.

This past year has certainly been eventful to say the least, having presented some terrible lows accompanied by fantastic highs; a truly polarising year.

Events in life happen as they do, and whilst we could look at events that happen as separate, they are delicately entwined to work together in tandem.

As hard as these may be, there can be no light without the dark, or happiness without sadness, and we all can surprise ourselves with how resilient we can be when the time arrises.

This year has provided me with many detailed lesson, insights and changes in perspective, especially so in the ability to surrender and what to truly value.

Throughout this year I have noticed a collective change in the community that is striving for something deeper with their horses; a want to learn about communication, a want to understand the equine body, a want to improve welfare standards.

To strive for that change, to be involved and to see that so prevelantly in so many people gives me so much hope for the years to come.

In the shadow of this year, I have curiosity and excitement to see where the new year will take us.

So, as we leave 2025 behind, I want everyone to be proud of their own achievements, for showing up, and continuing the search to be better for themselves and for their horses.

Happy New Year everyone!

Validation.Validation is often mistaken as a massaging of the ego, as proof that one may be right.Though that can be the...
30/12/2025

Validation.

Validation is often mistaken as a massaging of the ego, as proof that one may be right.

Though that can be the case, and I used to interpret validation as such, it is a mis-understanding; true self-validation is free of ego, instead providing us with a sense of reassurance, self-worth and acceptance.

As I wrote the definitions, I became acutely aware how in short supply those three are.

This year I have attended multiple professional development opportunities (no surprises there!), some practical, some academic, choosing to do so to enhance my own knowledge and skill-set; after all, as the saying goes ‘teachers need to be teachable’.

What has been different about my decisions this year is that I have let them ‘sit’ before committing, choosing to enrol or receive mentorship from who or what resonates with me on multiple, deeper levels.

That does not mean to say I have not resonated with previous learning opportunities of course, just that this year I have asked myself “what is the why”.

On each course I have attended, I have continued to learn.

And on each course I have attended, I have also been validated.

The validation I felt was nothing to do with external validation, approval or recognition, it permeated deeper than surface level to a place I was finally able to let myself hear; I am on the right track.

Validation is something I have struggled with at times over the years.

For myself. this comes from factors that include the way I have learned to see myself, the inflated inner critic, and both the awareness and psychological understanding of how validation shows up free of ego, when it does not, and doing the work to find that neutral space or ‘sweet spot’.

To find the sweet spot requires doing the shadow-work; exploring and healing the parts of us we learned to suppress and protect to move forwards into acceptance of self.

We live in a world where we are told to betray our own sense of self and vie for the approval of others, to consistently seek external validation in some shape or form.

The interplay between external validation within our interaction with horses, if the awareness is not there, can be at detriment to our relationship; ask yourself, if you do not get what you feel you need from your horse, how does that make you feel?

I feel very fortunate that the accumulation of both the development I have done for myself and the small number of genuine connections I have made have brought me to this place in time where I can allow myself to feel content in experiencing validation, as it should be.

Without validation of this kind, without the clarity of self, how else would we know that we are where we are supposed to be and to show up as best we can?

What podcasts have you been listening to this year?It is only this last year I have started tuning in to podcasts when I...
28/12/2025

What podcasts have you been listening to this year?

It is only this last year I have started tuning in to podcasts when I am on the road, and it really is a great way to utilise my time!

Looking at my audio history, there seems to be a theme; I enjoy a combination of psychology, self-development and stories around wildlife and the natural world; I try not to keep the learning tab in my mind open all the time, so I think I have a nice variety.

Here is a small handful that I really enjoy dipping into!

What would your recommendations be to listen to in 2026?

27/12/2025

Looking for something inventive to do with your post-Christmas boxes?

Empty cardboard boxes offer fun enrichment opportunities for you and your horse, and are a great way to utilise them before sending them off for recycling!

Free, fun and full of benefits, from improving proprioception to cog itinerary function and problem solving, simply scatter a little forage inside the boxes and allow your horse to work it out.

I always advise beginning at the starter level before increasing the challenge to avoid frustration-related responses.

This was a new exercise for Badger, and curiosity soon took over, throughly enjoying some gifted home-made treats on Boxing Day.

Enrichment; something to do with your horse, for your horse.

And.. what a beautiful sunset!

23/12/2025

This week I have been reflecting on the past year, and though it has not been the easiest of years, these can be the times where you realise how much we have to be grateful for, because all of us do, including a profession that I love.

I wondered on reflection, can we invest too much into our work, to our own detriment?

It is not detrimental to love and enjoy what you do, that can be a rare combination for many, and it doesn't by any means make you any less grateful to be aware when the the scales of balance tip.

Life is not meant to be monopolised by a singular aspect and there is so much to explore and experience that if we blink or become hyperfocused, we may miss the rest!

Horses are part of who we are, and who I am, and I would have that no other way, but sometimes our minds need time to explore other aspects thay bring us joy, fulfilment and valued moments.

Next year I will be looking to restructure my teaching schedule to make improvements to lesson days and area visits to ensure sessions are more consistent for all, something that due to my own personal reasons has been harder to maintain the latter half of the year.

I will also be looking at my lesson intake to re-evaluate my waiting list times and where I can improve in this area; as I say each year, I am humbled to consistently receive messages for those wanting lessons with me, though being one person, waiting times and meeting individual expectations is not always an expectation I can meet.

One way I have been developing to help mediate this is through the launch of an online community platform in 2026 that will offer a dynamic way to access my work and act as an interim-support network for current clients; exciting!

This year, ongoing personal circumstances have reduced my overall capacity to be present and mindful to what once was, instead I have allowed consistent future forward-planning to take up too much space in my mind away from being in the moment, a space I would like back to absorb those moments.

With no time to start like the present (no pun intended!), I will be having a two week social media break over the festive period to begin this reset, and to enjoy some creativity!

Awareness is always the first step towards change

There will be a few posts pre-scheduled over the coming weeks, and I will be out on a few lesson days between Christmas and New Year, though I will be out of office to all emails, texts and messages from December 24th – January 2nd 2026.

So, over the next few two weeks, I am going to invest more time; more time exploring emotions, more time to be present reading my books, more time to continue learning to play the guitar (badly!), more time to research for fun and practice a little more classical-inhand with Badger and a little more time for brain-retraining each day to create more mindful habits!

I hope you all find some time for reflection and to create a little space for you over the next few weeks!

Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄

An important aspect that we overlook in training is the time for changes to consolidate in the mind.Structures within th...
22/12/2025

An important aspect that we overlook in training is the time for changes to consolidate in the mind.

Structures within the brain, specifically the synapses and the process of myelination, strengthen and increase over time, known as long-term potentiation; this is especially so with repetition.

We need to create the best internal and external environment for the horse, and the person, for these changes to effectively take place, because remember, there are TWO brains learning at the same time – we forget that too!

While a moderate level of arousal can be productive in learning, stress will have negative consequences and dampens the pre-frontal cortex, an area that is present but smaller in equines, involved in stress-reduction.

We should not be looking superficially at what we get on a surface level, i.e ‘a response’ or 'a change', but how we are preparing the system of the whole horse for physical changes to consolidate over time.

Every horse has slightly different neurobiology due to their own life experiences, so the time it takes for one horse to consolidate will be different from another.

I’ve always been a firm believer that less is more, with quality far outweighing quantity (this has also been proven in studies that I will dig-out and share in the comments) and I have certainly seen how this works out for so many horses in body and mind,over the years.

A recent session with Warmblood, Marshall, is a great example, not only of consolidation within the mind, but how the body will also follow suit; even four months ago working on an extended line would have been triggering for him, yet with communicating awareness of his feedback, handler positioning and a little-and-often approach, he’s feeling pretty good about it, now allowing us to integrate some proprioceptive exercises in tandem!

Taking the time it takes is taking the time to consolidate.

Merry Yuletide ✨️The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, and  from here-on-in the days slowly get longer, a...
21/12/2025

Merry Yuletide ✨️

The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, and from here-on-in the days slowly get longer, and the nights, shorter; equestrians, rejoice!

The official beginning of Winter, the solstice is one of the eight pagan sabbats and signifies a time of rebirth, renewal and reflect, to look inwards as the sun begins to returns.

As the 12 days of yuletide begin, it is a time to be thankful for all we have, to rest and look ahead to a new cycle of the wheel.

Thsi year has seemed darker and the energies more intense, which is yet another reason to slow down.

The more my body synchronises with the natural rhythms, the better I feel; as we enter this next cycle, I will not necessarily 'do less', but shift the focus to where it is needed and align with the time; embrace the dark and look forward towards the light, being present in doing so.

Dont foegwt to look to the sky at 15:03, when the earths Northern hemisphere is tilted at its furthest point from the Sun.

Enjoy the Winter Solstice, however you are spending today 🎄

Blessed Be 🙌

Frequency, Matters.When we talk about energetic frequencies within our work with equines it can be easy for the energy c...
19/12/2025

Frequency, Matters.

When we talk about energetic frequencies within our work with equines it can be easy for the energy component itself to be shunted and go unregistered, especially if this concept is new to an individual.

This is understandable, as working with energy is not mainstream (though, I guess that depends on your circles!) and is not tangible to grasp.

We may speak of energy but not always with the depth proven validity that can be measured, creating something semi-tangible for people.

There is so much in the world that science has yet to prove that many have known for 1000’s of years; the science itself would not take away what it is already there, it may allow the concept to be better understood, and some of the information is here already!

All living beings have an electromagnetic frequency, a physical ‘bubble’ emitting from them that is comprised of electric and magnetic forces created by energetic charges.

These charges can be measured in hertz and cover a wide spectrum on this scale, from low frequencies to high frequencies; the earth, the human body and your wi-fi router are all giving off readable electromagnetic frequencies!

Energy is our horses first language (and at times I too feel like it is mine!) therefore having awareness of the quality of the frequency we emit is important as it drastically shapes your interactions with horses.

Our own electromagnetic field is shaped by the thoughts and emotions in our experience.

Different brain states create patterns that can be measured on an electroencephalography machiene; the emotions and thoughts of your brain change the frequency that is emitted, whether you are experiencing feelings of fear and anger or compassion and gratitude.

These thoughts will be felt not just in your body, but by others outside of it too.

I talk a lot about the importance of energy, intent and application in my work, at times to me it feels like a first language. While we are always learning and progressing, I feel something I continue to strive forwards with is balancing an energetic feel and intuition with practical application.

It's never linear, but these layers are something we all have access too.

Horses read energy in a heart beat; the quality of the frequency that we bring to the stable is going to impact the connection, regulation and application.

While you may not want a shaman to show you the way or science to tell that which we may already know, the thoughts we bring to our horses are our responsibility and could be the change you need.

A change of thought, a change of frequency, a whole different dynamic.

A beautiful photo of Martha to compliment.

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Connection Through Communication

Ross Cooper of Rosca Horsemanship is a British Horseman, trainer and coach providing quality horsemanship for both horse and human. From foundation to advanced Horsemanship, Ross travels Nationwide working with a variety of horses, from pleasure to competition, promoting harmonious and willing partnerships built on trust and understanding that achieve positive lasting results through effective communication.

Ross has a intuitive way of working, with a mindful and ethical way of to training the horse using the least aversive approach adapted to suit each individual. As a certified Equine Psychologist, Ross employs the principles of the natural horse, by learning from the horse; the natural behaviour, psychology and physiology, the true principles of Horsemanship. Horsemanship is not a method, it is a way of being with the horse; a way of thinking and a way of feeling. By working with the horse in this way, we can mutually communicate in the way that positive progress is made, in a way the horse can understand. Ross works towards meeting the needs of the horse and ambitions of the handler by finding the right programme and approach that works for them.

As a UKCC coach teaching with behaviour in mind, Ross caters for all ridden disciplines and both English and Western training, developing feel in both horse and rider as individuals to achieve their full potential. All training is in the absence of conventional and traditional methods; no fear, no force, no pain and no gadgets, challenging the conditioned way horses are treated and trained to improve the world for all equines.

Based in the United Kingdom on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, Rosca Horsemanship is freelance and travels Nationwide to you for private and group sessions, with clinics, demonstrations and workshops available. For information on training, lessons and clinics, contact Ross today.